Small Arms & Light Weapons

Last Updated: December 18, 2008

This sub-section examines the topic of the proliferation and diffusion of small arms and light weapons (SALW) with respect to post-conflict peacebuilding. The first section begins by tracing the definitions and the various conceptual understanding of the problem posed by SALW in zones of tension and conflict. The different aspects of SALW control is then explored through the context of peacebuilding processes. The succeeding sections look at the kind of actors involved in implementing SALW control programs, the beneficiaries of these programs, and challenges to implementation.

Overall, despite the rapid rise of the topic of SALW on the international agenda and the impressive body of knowledge that has been generated on the nature and impact of SALW, more empirical research needs to be conducted on understanding the precise conditions in which SALW pushes conflict in one direction or another. Furthermore, as there is now a sufficient body of data on weapons collections, microdisarmament, and SALW control initiatives, it becomes even more important to evaluate these projects to be able to test credibility of underlying assumptions.


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